Fire Damages Interior Of North Hartland Home

NORTH HARTLAND — A fire Monday afternoon extensively damaged an older home even though firefighters from four area towns managed to contain the blaze to the living room where it had begun.

Hartland, Hartford, Windsor and Woodstock sent fire engines to the scene on Coutermarsh Street and stopped a fire from spreading beyond the first floor of the medium-sized two-story white home which belongs to Cathryn Reed. The home is less than a mile from the North Hartland fire station.

“It was started from ashes that were accidentally dropped on the floor while a pellet stove was being cleaned out,” Hartland Fire Chief John Sanders explained. “The occupant of the house was upstairs watching television when he smelled smoke and he went downstairs to investigate and then we got called shortly after that.”

Hartland Deputy Chief Scott Bowers said that Cathy Reed had just moved out this past weekend to stay with her mother in Barnard and Reed’s son Wayne was the only person home when the fire broke out.

“There was pretty good heat spread on the first floor. It was hot but the fire was more or less contained to the small living room at the front and its contents but, unfortunately, the house is uninhabitable at this point due to the heat and smoke,” Sanders said.

“My guess is that it won’t be repaired but I’m not sure what they are going to do. Its got fairly extensive smoke and heat damage,” Sander said.

Deputy Chief Bowers said that Wayne Reed would be staying with his mother and grandmother in Barnard for the time being.

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